


Victims of Circumstance

by lhzwrites



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Children, Curse Breaking, F/M, Healer Hermione Granger, Post-War, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:52:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24371605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lhzwrites/pseuds/lhzwrites
Summary: With each glimpse she was granted of the man beneath the cool and hardened aristocratic exterior, she had felt her heart warm for the first time in years. She had begun to want so much more. The reality; however, was that she didn’t dare threaten the rather fragile foundation that was between them. Didn’t dare try to cross the thin line between friendship and something else.They had eventually crossed it, and in many ways the war had been simpler than what had then unfolded.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this rather quickly, the idea really begging to be put on paper. Not beta-ed so be gentle! Includes some references to Barefoot in the Park.

The war had dragged. They were going on 3 years. Longer than Hermione had anticipated and longer than the Order of the Phoenix had certainly wanted. 

Each day had become more and more tedious as the tasks before them grew in number and became increasingly impossible. 

Voldemort had anticipated their search for the horcruxes, and now three years later, there was no telling if any more had been made. 

Their numbers had dwindled, morale harder to build, and their resources were scarce. On nights like tonight, even Hermione could lose track of just why they’d begun this fight to begin with. 

She’d been out on a supply run with two others that had ended badly, and even that was putting it mildly. They’d gotten no supplies, and had come away from the encounter with Cho in a magically induced coma to heal from extensive third degree burns, and Seamus heavily sedated while he regrew all 11 bones he’d broken when a wall had exploded behind him. The three others had been spared major injuries; cuts, scraps, and broken bones that had healed within the hour thanks to a few choice spells. 

And her. 

Well, she was physically fine; though her dignity had taken a hit at the failed raid. She’d been their unofficial cursebreaker, meant to detect wards and trick spells. 

And she’d failed. 

The only thing that would have made it worse would have been if anyone had been taken. 

_Or dead._

She shook her head, kicking back another shot of firewhiskey. The night had called for an inconceivable amount of alcohol. Though, with her vision blurring at the edges and the room feeling just a little unsteady underneath her feet, she may need to think about slowing down. 

She squinted at the bottle in front of her. 

It hadn’t been completely full when she’d started….had it?

She shrugged her shoulders before reaching once more for the bottle. It was just starting to taste good after all, and it would be a waste to toss it when there were maybe two more drinks left in it. 

She lined the bottle to the rim of the glass, freezing at a soft pop and the faintest sound of footsteps that followed. She held her breath as a dark figure entered the kitchen, the soft gleam of the kitchen light catching his hair.

 _Like a star._ She thought idly, a small smile spreading across her face at the irony of such an observation. 

He paused in the doorway. His sharp eyes drifted across her face before catching sight of the bottle in her hand. 

Her breath caught in her throat and all of the alcohol in her blood did nothing to diminish just how aware she is of his scrutiny. 

But then, she’d been aware of everything that was distinctly him for a while now. In those early days when he’d first crossed over, most of them were. Though, no one could deny there had been a change in Draco Malfoy that had started years ago. His father’s imprisonment and the turmoil of their sixth year that exploded into full out war not halfway through had been testament enough. 

There had been talk amongst the leadership of the Order that he may have been Snape’s remaining point of contact with the other side after the man had been exposed following Dumbledore’s death. Even now, nothing had been confirmed on that rumor despite Draco having been an official Order asset for going on a year and a half. 

He’d fought to maintain his privacy, not that she would blame him for that, but it was hard for rumors not to spread. He’d shown up causing quite a stir, no doubt spurred by Lucius’s death and new threats to his mother. Narcissa Malfoy had been granted amnesty, and with her death faked, she’d gone into hiding with her sister and Tonks in Wales. 

_He’d wanted to turn completely._

To publically defect, but his value came from his ability to seamlessly move among the Death Eater ranks. He knew it, and more importantly they had known it too. 

So he remained alone among the monsters. 

She didn’t know how he handled it. The toil was evident. The weight of it was killing him. She saw it all the time. She saw it even more pronounced now. The skin under his eyes had taken on a permanently grey tone, and despite having filled out as he’d grown into the man before her, he was nearly as thin as he had been during that terrible year at Hogwarts. 

Looking at him now, filled her with a tiredness that ran deep, touched the marrow of her bones. 

_It was getting to be too much._

She licked her lips, her gaze locked on his eyes. 

“Would you like a glass?” she murmured. 

His eyes darted from her mouth back to her eyes. Wordlessly, he stepped closer and sat on one of the kitchen chairs opposite her side of the table. He took the bottle from her hand and tilted his head back and downed a shot of the whiskey before placing it back on the table between them. 

“Thanks.” 

She nodded in response. 

“It’s been such a mess.”

He hummed in agreement before taking another sip from the firewhiskey. 

“You should have told me that supplies were short.” he said without a hint of accusation. 

“You’ve been gone all week.” 

He let out a breath, his shoulders falling slightly, and he lent back in his chair. A hand came up to run through his hair. 

“Patrol schedules have been a mess since he moved back into Hogwarts.” he murmured before sitting straight once more. “Get me a list, and I’ll see what I can manage.” 

She nodded. 

“And the potion stores?”

“Low.” she sighed, “We’ve been backed up with injuries from the last two raids. Snape’s barely had a break.” 

He nodded, standing in one swift motion. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, and she watched with fascination as he seemed to pull himself together, physically forcing away his clear exhaustion before opening them a moment later. 

“I guess we should get started then.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________

They dance around each other with the battlefields as their backdrop. 

They become potion’s apprentices and healers in training under Snape as the Order becomes dangerously short on healers and mediwitches and wizards. 

It’s rather calming to watch Draco as he worked. His lithe finger making quick work out of sorting through ingredients. It’s damn near elegant the way he easily cuts the various leaves and roots in front of him with careful precision. 

Snape trusted him implicitly. At first she’d thought it was continued favoritism from their school days, but overtime she’d had to concede that the trust was well deserved. 

He starts coming more frequently, even when he doesn’t have anything new to report or supplies to drop off. 

She looked forward to their nights spent sorting through potion ingredients and stirring simmering concoctions. They’d taken to talking. At first it had been safe topics like potion theory and spells; though, those discussions quickly became more personal. 

He apologized one night when the potion stocks had been full and he’d shown up with two bottles of elf wine. It had been a terrible day. Some sort of revel that he hadn’t wanted to talk about; though, the marks of it were evident on his skin. 

She’d ignored the bruises, the cuts, and the bandages around his knuckles, knowing not to draw attention unless he seemed prepared to discuss it.

She had been two and a half glasses in when he’d put his glass down. His eyes had roamed fondly over her face, though his gaze was distinctly melancholic. 

“I’m sorry.” he whispered. 

No excuses. No reasoning. Just those two words. 

And everything had changed. 

It didn’t matter that she had already forgiven him. They’d been children with jabs and taunts between them that had been fueled by misguidance and sheltered prejudice. The world and they had changed so much since then. 

No. Those words had represented something else. 

They went from acquaintances to friends. Soft inquiries on their days, stories from childhood, hopes and dreams for the future. She’d told him about Ron, how she’d loved him in that full and girlhood kind of devotion. How they’d grown apart as the war had stretched. Her parents, and how despite her planning against wizard means for retaliation, she’d never considered ordinary muggle ones. She’d received word that her father had died in a car accident a few months ago, and it had broken her beyond belief. 

_He’d died without knowing her._

It had been then that her worries that they all may not survive this war had intensified. When she began to sob, he’d held her face in his hands. Those same lithe fingers coming up to wipe the tears as they dripped from her eyes, and all the while murmuring sweet words of comfort. 

He told her about his father, and how he hadn’t really been the same following his imprisonment in Azkaban. Lucius had seemed to realize he’d miscalculated the costs of joining into Voldemort’s ranks. That his grandfather had somewhat encouraged it in the early days on the eve of the first war before abruptly changing his mind on the matter after having seen the barbaric ruthlessness by which Riddle had begun to amass followers. By then it had been too late, Lucius had pledged and then decided that once the regime was in place and the proper order had begun that he would simply remove Tom Riddle by whatever means necessary. 

Oh but he had been so wrong. 

That they’d spoken on it for hours as Lucius’s health failed before his eyes. That it was likely a Death Eater had killed him during the highs of a battle with the Order to allow for blame on the other side. 

_I think he would have turned with me._ Draco had said mournfully, and though tears had gathered at the corners of his eyes, a few falling slowly down his cheeks, she hadn’t said anything. She’d just drawn him to her in a tight embrace and let him mourn. 

With each glimpse she was granted of the man beneath the cool and hardened aristocratic exterior, she had felt her heart warm for the first time in years. She had begun to want so much more. The reality; however, was that she didn’t dare threaten the rather fragile foundation that was between them. Didn’t dare try to cross the thin line between friendship and something else.

It had been torture to resist the urge to push back his hair when it fell into his eyes as he was bent over working. Or to reach out and simply touch him and work the tension out of his stiff set shoulders. 

These days, they were all tense. 

They’d finally caught a break on the horcrux hunt, and Draco was adamant that he could track down basilisk venom for them. So plans had started to form. 

The return of that determined gleam in Harry’s eyes and the lifted spirits in their war weary ranks was a welcome change. They were only waiting for an opportunity to strike. 

It was late. She’d given up waiting an hour ago and had lain in her bed staring at the cracks in the ceiling, idly wondering if sleep would come tonight when the tell tale soft pop of an apparation sounded down the hall. 

She froze, her fingers clutching her sheets as she strained to hear more. 

Soft footsteps and the click of a door closing. A moment later a faucet and the unmistakable sound of water rushing into a sink was heard. 

She quickly flew out of bed, twisting her hair into a haphazard knot at the top of her head before coming to a stop at the bathroom door on the ground floor. She reached her hand out, intending to knock when the door eased open beneath her palm. 

The rummaging inside stopped before a low curse, and Draco opened the door completely. 

She dropped her hand to cover her mouth as she gasped at the site. 

He was covered in scars and cuts, angry bruises beneath his ribs, and his left arm was twisted inward, clueing her in that his shoulder had been dislocated. 

“Dear Merlin.” she whispered. 

Draco’s eyes shot up at her words, his wand limp in his hand as she stepped forward, noticing that blood was still flowing from the cuts. 

“Draco.” she hissed in alarm, fishing for her own wand. 

He shook his head then, reaching out and stilling her hand as he went back to closing each cut with the familiar soft song she’d once heard Snape use all those years ago. 

_His sectumsempra scars had reopened._

She walked passed him and rummaged through the drawers, finding gauze and clean cloth that she wet and drenched in antiseptic before turning back to wipe away the blood from each laceration he managed to close. 

It seemed like there were hundreds. 

Even along his face. 

Though, those seemed different. Not magic induced as they healed under her own wand. 

Silently, she worked, unable from completely appreciating the dips and curves of his taut and toned muscles as she did. Occasionally, she would pause with her fingers coming to trace old scars. Some were shaped like runes that her quick mind was able to place meaning too. 

Pain.  
Strength.  
Suffering. 

When they were sealed, she healed his shoulder and began winding bandages up and down his torso. She summoned two blood replenishing potions offering them to him, which he accepted gratefully with a soft whisper of thanks. 

Then she led him up the steps, letting him pause when he needed to catch his breath and pulling him flush to her so that he could lean on her as he swayed dizzy from the blood loss. 

He didn’t comment when her room came into view; though, a brow raised in question was thrown her way. 

She shook her head in response, a thin smile on her lips as she opened her bedroom door and led him to the bed. 

He resisted then, but she was much more stubborn. Eventually, he relented, letting her tuck him into the bed. 

He shivered as he drew the covers close to his body. 

“What happened?” she murmured, coming to sit on the edge of the mattress. Her fingers went to his hair, brushing the long fringe away from his eyes. 

He let out a breath tickling her fingers in the process. 

“We’ve been training like mad since those two traps the Order set last month.” he said, his eyes fluttering closed. “At this point, I think it’s just an excuse to inflict punishment.” 

She paused in her ministrations.

“But the Sectumsempra scars?” she asked softly. 

He blinked, looking up at her with knitted brows.  
“They reopen from time to time.” he shuddered under her touch, “They always will. It’s in the name after all.” 

He watched her face as the realization hit her. 

_Scar forever._

“I’m sorry.” she whispered, her chin trembling as she let her fingers dance from the roots of his hair to the cut around his cheek. 

“You didn’t do this.” 

She shook her head. Oh, but in some ways she had. She’d known that book was trouble from the beginning. Had known that Harry was capable of acting rashly and being lost in the whirlwind of his emotions. 

She’d known an explosion was waiting between the two that year. 

All of it she’d ignored in hopeless and deliberate naivety. Because Harry would have seen her interference and continued harping about the potion book as a betrayal or jealousy fueled, and she’d selfishly not wanted to isolate herself from her friends over an intuition. 

“It’s alright.” he muttered, his voice heavy as he reached up hesitantly and tucked stray wisps of her hair behind her ear. 

“But it’s not.” she whispered, “He’s hurt you forever. The pain… I still remember how you could barely move after 6th year.” 

“It was deserved at the time.” 

She shook her head furiously, “No it wasn’t. None of this has been deserved.” 

His eyes widened as tears filled her eyes as she lent down and pressed her forehead to his. 

“Hermione.” He whispered, clear alarm in his voice as she sobbed silently. 

She couldn’t anymore. She just had to…

Their lips found one another, and after a second’s hesitation, Draco returned her kiss with ferocity. 

And they crossed that line, tangled into each other. 

She slept until morning for the first time in months that night.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________

There’s a plan in place now.

Multi-phase waves of skirmishes to distract while separate teams headed toward the horcruxes before rejoining the main battle. The whole thing was set for the remembrance day Voldemort hosted to commemorate his taking of Hogwarts. 

It made Hermione’s blood boil and her skin itch that he had the audacity to live in a place meant for learning and hope of future generations, making it into his personal playground filled with torture and suffering. 

Ron’s jaw is set as he continues going into the details during the meeting. He’s been part of the strategic planning team for a while now and has grown into the role fabulously. The responsibility had tamed his jealous tendencies; though that famous Weasley temper remained. 

_He grew up. Like they all had._

And she’s incredibly proud as he gestured at various sketches that he, Kingsley, Robards, Harry, Remus, and Snape had debated for hours. 

Her eyes drift around the room, pausing at the other weary faces. 

They’re ready, and liberation finally seems within their grasp. 

The one thing that’s missing is the most important piece. 

How they’re going to destroy the horcruxes. 

Some of their fighters will be training with fiendfyre, but only for it to be used as a last resort. They’re going for stealth, and burning entire camps of Death Eaters hardly fits that description. 

They need basilisk venom. A lot of it.

The meeting ends, and pretty soon it’s only the three of them left in the Black family library that had been hosting their meetings for the majority of the resistance efforts. 

“You think Malfoy will manage to get the venom?” Harry asked as he and Ron swap seats to sit on either side of her. 

“I think he’ll move heaven and earth trying.” she murmured. 

Harry nodded solemnly. 

“Well he’s certainly motivated, isn’t he?” Ron chimed in. 

She shifted under his scrutiny, entirely too aware of how her cheeks were starting to burn the longer the two of them stare at her. 

Harry takes one look at her discomfort before promptly beginning to laugh. It’s been so long since she’d heard it that she cracked a smile despite her embarrassment.

“I knew I saw him leaving your room.” he manages to say in between gasps of laughter. Ron is grumbling to her left about how he was now down 5 galleons. Harry finally calmed enough to reassure her that Malfoy’s turned out to be a better bloke than originally thought. It’s all rather nice. Downright normal. Like the war isn’t still raging, and her two best friends, brothers, are letting her know they accept her boyfriend. 

_Boyfriend._

A small smile stretched on her face. 

Draco Malfoy. Her boyfriend. 

Well, crazier things had happened.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“I can’t believe they let you come for this.” Draco murmured as they trekked through the small muggle town. 

“You’ve been saying that for the past hour,” she replied, “but we still managed to get what we came for.” 

He shook his head, scoffing as his hand reached for hers. She squeezed it tightly in response, an action he reciprocated a moment later. 

He’d found a supplier of venom. Some black market guy who knows a guy type of picture. It had likely cost a fortune; though, Draco had kept tight lipped on the matter. 

So, the meeting had been set and the Order had wanted a representative at the exchange. She’d pushed, lobbied, and called in every favor to get the chance to come. 

Draco had been furious; though, you would never have known it from the look of him. He didn’t shout. No outburst. He’d been cool, his eyes sparking, and the muscles of his jaw taut. It had taken all she had not to flinch as he stared her down. 

But she stood firm. 

So here they were, riding the high of a successful exchange and enjoying the outdoors for the first time in months. It had started snowing, likely the last snowfall of the year, and it was lovely. 

The sun was starting to set and she couldn’t resist the pep in her step as they continued to walk through the old cobblestone streets. 

“It’s freezing.” Draco muttered, drawing her closer to him. 

She hummed in response before her eyes caught sight of a park at the center of the town. 

“Oh.” she let out a breath before tugging at Draco’s arm. He shook his head, a wryly grin on his face as he complied with her wishes. Their boots crunch against the snow, and she pauses to admire the way the frost decorates the trees and the bushes. 

She dropped his hand, bending down and digging her hands into the snow. She grinned as she stood, snowball in hand. 

“Granger.” Draco warned. 

She laughed, tossing the snowball and hitting him square in the chest before shrieking in delight as she ran to avoid his retaliation. 

They ran, tossing snowballs as the sun fully set. At some point, her sides had begun to hurt from the constant running, panting, and laughter in between. 

She slumped to the ground, relishing the cold shiver that ran down her spine. 

“What are you doing?” 

She looked up before smiling slyly. “Making a snow angel.” 

At his questioning expression, she pulled him down to lay beside her. 

“Granger, it’s cold.” he muttered. 

“It’s not cold, it’s only 4 degrees.” she laughed. 

He blinked, clearly even more confused. 

“It’s a quote.” she murmured, drawing closer to him as they huddled in the snow and glanced up at the sky. “From a play I once saw with my parents.” 

“What’s it about?” he murmured, fingers idly playing with the ends of her hair. 

“Two freezing young lovers.” she replied. 

“Hmm. Sounds familiar.” 

She laughed, sitting up. Her hand came to straighten his hair. He hummed in appreciation, his eyes closing. He looked so peaceful with his hair splayed behind him, decorated by flakes of snow. 

She lent down and pressed her lips to his. 

“I love you.” she said. 

He pulled himself up, leaning on his hands. He shivered, from the cold or something else she didn’t know. 

“Merlin help me.” He whispered, “But I love you too.”  
_________________________________________________________________________________________

The whole battle is a disaster, but it’s a disaster that tilts in their favor. 

The basilisk venom does it’s job, and the battles at the safehouses guarding them are eaten up in the flames of the aftermath. 

Hogwarts doesn’t fare much better. 

The lawns are upturned, parts of the forest are blown away as duels rage on. The castle is missing entire wings of it’s once proud structure. 

Perhaps for the best. No use remembering the way it’s been. 

Then it’s over. 

Harry has his day of victory, and the celebration is bittersweet. 

Three long years. 

Though, it’s really been longer. Before Harry. Or Ron. Or her. 

But they ended it. 

Her eyes dart around the rubble, and at the first sight of blond, she breaks out into a run. He’s barely holding himself up, using some stray parts of a wall to steady himself as he steps forward. They’d lost sight of one another during the battle, but not enough for her to not see how he’d taken fire from both sides. 

And it made her wonder which had done this.

The minute she reaches him, her arms come around his waist, all but dragging him to her. She lets out a breath, shaking as she focuses on only breathing him in. 

_They’re alive. They’re both alive._

She pulls away long enough to wrap a hand at his neck and drag his mouth to meet hers. 

She forgets about the battle they’d just won, the pain in her sides, and the dried blood on both of their bodies. She can only focus on now, and how he’s doing that thing with his tongue that he knows drives her mad. 

A shuffling of feet and someone coughing to clear their throat breaks the spell. She keeps her hands around Draco as she turns to find Aurors, all looking more than a bit conflicted as they stare them down. 

_No. Dear Merlin. No._

In the background, Harry is arguing. Kingsley is arguing. Hell, even Ron is arguing. 

She can’t focus on what they're saying, really only noticing the way Draco’s arms slip from around her. He pulls his wand from the holster at his side. 

“I only trust this with you.” he murmurs before pressing one last kiss to her lips. He straightens his shoulders, his chin held high, as he walks towards the Aurors. 

“I guess we should be going.” he says to the first Auror he meets. 

The action makes her snort and roll her eyes, because leave it to Draco to make the Aurors feel they are inconveniencing him by taking so long to take him into custody. 

He turns back and flashes her a smirk as he reached his arm out for an Auror to take. 

“I’ll get you out.” she mouthed. 

The smirk shifts into a small sad sort of smile, and though his posture shows nothing but confidence, his eyes show another story. 

He nods. 

Then, with a pop, he was gone.


	2. Part II

It’s all ridiculous. 

One moment they’re shouting for bloody murder with an open trial and in the next they’re awarding him an Order of the Merlin 2nd class. 

They laugh about it when she visits him in custody. The case is really a farce. Everyone knows it. He defected and worked for years for the Order. Though he hadn’t been granted complete immunity, he had negotiated certain leniencies. 

He would get out of here, even if he believed he shouldn’t. 

The trial is somewhat an act as Order member after Order member takes turns giving testimonies on the character of Draco Lucius Malfoy. 

It drags for two weeks, and at the end of it he’s sentenced to limited magic use, community service, travel restrictions, and a list of war reparations.

Up until the last moment, she knew Draco had expected the worst. Hearing he was free to go, his shoulders had dropped and his posture sagging as he was led off the podium. 

When they’re finally in the little apartment she’d managed to snag a few weeks back, he breaks. They fall into her bed. He draws her close, burying his head in her middle as he shudders. She ignores the way her shirt grows wet even as her own eyes sting and water. 

_I love you._

He mouths against her skin. 

“I love you.” she whispers back.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Post-war Wizarding Britain is full of hypocrisy. 

One person on the street will throw them dirty looks as they complete their weekly shopping while another will be starstruck and ask for autographs. 

An article will paint him as a hero, and the next will be some half-arsed conspiracy article about how he was planning the next revolt. 

“You don’t believe any of this. Do you?” She asks after a particularly scathing article had called him no better than a manipulative young Tom Riddle.

He looked up from his NEWT revision books, pulling off the reading glasses he’d had to get recently. He rubs at his eyes, and for a moment, she’s a little guilty for having pulled him away from the studying that they both should be doing. 

“No.” he finally says, leaning forward on his folded arms. 

Even he doesn’t seem convinced.  
________________________________________________________________________________________

She starts plotting. She talked with a few Order members, a few old classmates including some of the Slytherins who had turned to the Order over the course of the war. When she has a firm plan in place, she goes to him. 

But great minds think alike. 

He one-ups her with a building permit for a shelter for those displaced by the war and a draft for another idea that she’d once toyed around with. 

A primary school that even muggleborns would be able to attend once they’d begun showing signs of magic. 

“To help with the transition.” He said, “So that they feel more a part of the world they’re going to live in.” 

She kissed him, her fingers going to tug at the strands of hair at the base of his neck. He moans appreciatively. 

“Thank you.” She whispered against his mouth. 

In response, he tugs her over his shoulder, and they head to the bedroom to spend the whole night properly thanking one another.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________

The public starts to warm up to him, and the articles painting him as the devil incarnate start to drop off. 

The Malfoy estate that they’re converting to be the school is nearly finished being renovated, and a sample curriculum is under review by the Ministry. 

The shelter is set to open today.

She changed her outfit four times, messed with her hair more times than could be counted, before she felt satisfied. 

“Draco?” She called out leaving the bedroom. Her heels click along the hardwood before she pauses in the living room. 

Draco is seated on the couch, a glass of firewhiskey in front of him. He’s leaning forward, elbows on his knees, as his right leg bobs up and down. 

_A nervous tic._

She cleared her throat. 

His mouth parts as his eyes roam appreciatively over her. He stood and in two strides reached her. 

“You look lovely.” he murmured, taking her hands into his and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. 

“Not too back yourself.” she smiled, pulling her hands from his to straighten his tie. 

He smirks, taking her arm to loop through his, and in a blink they’ve apparated away. 

When her feet steady, she lets out a breath, relishing in the feel of the sun against her face. She blinks and is immediately greeted by Harry who immediately pulls her into a tight embrace. 

She greets the rest in a similar fashion. 

Kingsley. Ron. Arthur. Molly. Ginny. And on and on. She hugs Tonks especially tight, squishing Teddy between them as they both mourn Remus for a moment. 

The next person gives her pause. 

Narcissa Malfoy. 

_She was still such a beautiful woman._

“Mother.” Draco murmurs, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I’d like to reintroduce you to Hermoine Granger.” 

She stood just a little straighter as the woman’s sharp eyes appraised her. She’d like to think that it doesn’t matter what Narcissa thinks of her. That if she chooses to cling to prejudiced ideology then her opinion isn’t worth noting. 

But it does matter. This is Draco’s mother, and they’ve both done extraordinary things for each other’s sake. 

After what feels like an eternity, Narcissa steps forward and takes her hands into her own. She squeezes them lightly. 

“It’s a pleasure.” Narcissa says with a small smile. 

Her shoulders nearly slump in relief. 

“Likewise.” 

The speeches are beautiful. 

Kingsley as acting Minister starts them off before handing the podium to Harry who manages to get through his speech only choking up when he announces the name of the shelter. 

_The Marauder House._

She says a few words on unity and how the opening of this shelter is part of the hope for the future that is now within reach. When she's done, she calls Draco up, who is more than a little shocked. 

He recovers in a moment, straightening and adopting that cool exterior he reserves for dealing with the public. She flashes him an innocent grin as she applauds, along with everyone else, as he makes his way to her. 

He deserved some of the spotlight. He’d paid for it after all. 

Draco manages to echo her words on unity before adding how honored he felt to be a part of it. It’s sincere even if it’s simple, which is all that really matters. 

Afterward, the ribbon is cut and drinks are distributed. 

It’s perfect. 

Until it isn’t. 

The celebrations are winding down, but reporters are lingering to get as many interviews as they can before they’re forced to vacate. 

Draco had laced their fingers together, leading her toward the designated apparition point when a reporter stops them. 

“Mr. Malfoy, do you have a comment?” 

His jaw tightened and his eyes flashing before schooling his features and turning toward the reporter. The reporter flashes a smirk, preening like the cat that caught the cream. 

“Do you have a comment on Greengrass?” 

Draco frowned. “Greengrass?” 

“Do you have a comment on the Greengrass family filing a complaint today on your unfulfilled betrothal contract?”  
__________________________________________________________________________________________

“Hermione!” Draco knocked on their bedroom door for what must have been the hundredth time since they’d apparated back to the apartment. 

“Please love. Please let me explain.” 

She wraps herself even tighter with the blankets, dried tear tracks on her face that she doesn’t bother to wipe away. 

“You’re betrothed Draco! Betrothed. And you forgot to mention that?!”

“I didn’t think it was still in effect.” he pleads, and the door strains as he slides down the wood to rest on the floor. “I thought after father’s arrest that it was broken. I swear to you that I had no idea.”  
Fresh tears trickle down her cheeks as she stands on wobbly legs and crouches on the floor outside the door. 

“Hermione,” Draco’s voice quivered as he cleared his throat and started again, “Hermione, I love you. I am going to find a way out of this. Please. Please open the door.” 

“What are we going to do?” she whispers, letting her head rest on the door.

“Whatever it takes.” 

She shudders, a hand covering her mouth as she lets out another silent sob. She shuts her eyes tight, forcing a steadying breath into her lungs before she flicked her wrist to cancel the ward. 

The door opened in an instant, and Draco’s arms came to wrap around her. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I didn’t know. I didn’t-” 

“I know.” she breathed, “I know.” 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Magical betrothals are the most exquisitely complicated contracts she has ever seen. They’re layered on promises and reinforced in a spell eerily similar to a Unbreakable Vow. 

And nearly impossible to break if the original party members aren’t there to break it. 

Oh the irony that she would ever wish for Lucius Malfoy to be alive.

Draco is at the ministry every day, sorting through paperwork to officially take on the Malfoy family legacy and duties as head of his house and begin negotiating with Greengrass to drop the betrothal. 

Even still, it’s too risky. 

She’s poured over every book she can get her hands on. She’d even raided the Ministry Archives with special permission from Kingsley. 

Every book said the same thing. 

The betrothal contract could only be broken if both parties were willing and in agreement. If there was even a hint of anything else, then both participants (namely Draco and Astoria) were at risk of permanent damage to their magical cores. 

By Draco’s account, Astoria wasn’t even the one pushing for the betrothal. She wasn’t interested, but the contract had been decided before she was of age under the design of her father. 

And her father wanted the Malfoy legacy. 

With Draco meticulously piecing back together the dignity of his family name, the Malfoy family had become an enticing prospect once more. 

He wasn’t going to budge. 

And if they tried to break the betrothal without his approval…

The thought made her sick, twisting her stomach until she was sure she’d retch. 

She swallowed roughly before scrambling from where she’d been laying surrounded by books on the living room floor to the loo. 

She heaved and coughed, retching all the paltry remains in her stomach before collapsing with her head pressed against the cool porcelain of the toilet. 

“Granger.” 

She groaned in response as Draco cautiously entered the bathroom and came to squat beside her on the floor. His fingers brushed the sweaty strands of hair from her face. 

“Maybe you should see a healer love. You’ve been sick for a week. It’s not food poisoning.” 

A week? Had it really been that long? 

She cracked open her eyes, seeing Draco’s face pinched tight with concern as he helped her up off the ground. 

“I’m fine.” She said, “No fevers. Nothing.” 

“Still.” Draco said leading her to the edge of the mattress and forcing her to sit. “If it’s still going on tomorrow, I think you should go.” 

She nods her head, not willing to voice any vocal agreement. Especially not with anyone as slytherin as Draco. Besides, she really did feel relatively fine. Sure she’d been more tired than usual, but that must be the stress of having spent weeks on end researching and speaking to every Ministry official she could. In fact, even her cycle had been…

_Oh._

_Oh no. _  
____________________________________________________________________________________________

__It’s four potions, two spells, and eight muggle pregnancy tests before she is undeniably convinced that she is pregnant with the next Malfoy heir._ _

__The timing could not be more horrendous._ _

__They are nowhere near getting Greengrass to back off, and Draco had only just thrown out the idea that they could just disappear._ _

__Leave behind Britain and take up somewhere on the continent._ _

__Or Australia._ _

__He would give up everything. She knew that. Breaking his parole, losing his family legacy, never setting foot in Britain ever again… he would do it._ _

__She knew it in her bones._ _

__But could she?_ _

__Could she let him give up everything?_ _

__Draco had his mother to think about after all. She didn’t think she could bear to be the thing that drove them forever apart._ _

__Her hand went to her middle. Telling Draco about the baby ensured that he would do just that._ _

__Her mind is turning and a plan hazily takes shape._ _

__She walks to the floo, tossing in the powder and calling out for Godric’s Hollow._ _

__Draco couldn’t leave, but she could.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__Harry. Sweet Harry agreed to help her even if he didn't agree with her plan._ _

__He’d helped her set up the Gringotts transfer, locking her records in the Ministry, and provided the last known location of her mother._ _

__He’d put up quite a fight when he realized she had no intention of telling him exactly where she was going, but a promise to contact him as soon as she was settled acquiesced._ _

__The hardest part had been pretending to Draco. She had gone and seen a muggle physician in order to get medicines to help with the nausea as well as her prenatal vitamins, and thankfully the urge to vomit at every given opportunity had abated. Draco had relaxed immensely when she’d declared she was feeling much better, but the stress of rushing to break his betrothal was still heavy on his shoulders._ _

__He barely slept, his attention was shot, and his scars had opened up again the other day._ _

__It broke her heart, and she was tired of seeing him suffer for the actions of others._ _

__A bit hypocritical, considering she was planning on doing the same._ _

__She had looked into Astoria Greengrass, who by all accounts was a lovely girl. Very beautiful. Smart. Considered very kind, even by her former slytherin peers._ _

___He could be happy with her. ____ _

____She cried for what felt like hours after that. It was all so unfair that the wizarding world had taken and continued to take from her._ _ _ _

____Her hand went to her stomach, where a nearly imperceptible bump had begun to show._ _ _ _

____She had to do this. Not just for Draco, but for her own sanity._ _ _ _

____She couldn’t sit by and watch him marry someone else._ _ _ _

____When he makes it home that evening, having spent another fruitless day with barristers, she tells him that the Ministry had finally located her mother.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________  
She packed a bag, mostly for show. She had been storing supplies in her beaded bag for days now. _ _ _ _

____But Draco was watching, and had spent the entire time apologizing how he wished he could go with her._ _ _ _

____It’s almost too much. With every apology, her resolve crumbles. She nearly breaks and tells him everything a half dozen times._ _ _ _

____But she doesn’t._ _ _ _

____Instead, she wrapped him in her arms and they collapsed onto the bed with their limbs tangling and clothes flung somewhere across the room._ _ _ _

____He seemed to sense something was off, but he didn't comment. He let her kiss every corner of his face and trace each scar on his body gently without a word._ _ _ _

____She is committing him to memory._ _ _ _

____It’s almost like a part of him knew what she was trying to do, because his hands trace down her sides, lingering at her own scars in much the same manner._ _ _ _

____The next morning, she swallowed her tears and forced a cheerful smile on her face as he dropped her off at the Ministry for her international portkey._ _ _ _

____“Come back to me soon.” he whispered in between kissing her._ _ _ _

____“I love you.” she replied._ _ _ _

____She took the portkey from the ministry official, some sort of paperweight, and with one last murmur of a goodbye she pressed her wand and uttered the spell._ _ _ _

____She closed her eyes, and with a lurch in her middle she’s gone.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _

____She’d picked a small town in Germany to settle into. Her grandmother had been German, and her handle on the language was passable._ _ _ _

____When she did finally go to find her mother, it would make the transition easier on the both of them if they could blend into the surrounding.  
Her pregnancy progressed rather flawlessly, no hiccups and no excitement. Toward the end of the second trimester, she starts to relax. _ _ _ _

____No one is going to find her._ _ _ _

____Until someone does._ _ _ _

____She’d gone out one day to the market, intent on picking up a few of her more recent cravings when she caught sight of a white blonde hair that gleamed as the sun’s rays danced to frame their head._ _ _ _

____Her heart raced, and for a moment she can’t force even a gasp of air into her lungs._ _ _ _

_____But it wasn’t him. ____ _ _ _

______Luna genuinely looked shocked at having spotted her, but quickly recovered as she came closer._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Hermione?” her gray-blue eyes drift down and settle in her middle. Some sort of understanding flickered in her eyes as she looked back to meet her gaze._ _ _ _ _ _

______For all of Luna’s ditzy and airy actions, she had been put in Ravenclaw. The girl wasn’t daft._ _ _ _ _ _

______They make their way to the little cottage she had purchased, and once inside the explanations come out._ _ _ _ _ _

______Luna was on a year long sabbatical, muggle and magical locations, to travel and search for creatures as a tribute to her father and to heal._ _ _ _ _ _

______It had been chance that she’d even ended up in this town, but she’d heard from an older witch about some creature or another and had set out that morning._ _ _ _ _ _

______Luna doesn’t defend or argue with Hermione’s choice to leave Britain behind. She promised not to reveal her to anyone without Hermione having to ask._ _ _ _ _ _

______It’s that action that broke her resolve._ _ _ _ _ _

______She managed to get the story out in between quite a few tears. It’s rather nice to finally have someone else who knows._ _ _ _ _ _

______After she’d finished, Luna had drawn her into a tight embrace._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You don’t have to be alone.” She said, “I’m going to stay.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______And stay she did._ _ _ _ _ _

______Hermione hadn’t realized the weight of her loneliness until she no longer had it hanging around her neck._ _ _ _ _ _

______Luna was a calming presence. Level headed with surprisingly insightful advice._ _ _ _ _ _

______She respected her wishes not to mention Draco, though she didn’t seem entirely pleased with that request._ _ _ _ _ _

______Draco was her cousin as she later found out. Pandora Lovegood had been the illegitimate daughter of Abraxas Malfoy, conceived in between his marriages to his first and second wife. They had grown close after he’d joined the Order, and with family scare between them, they had come to value the relations they had even more._ _ _ _ _ _

______“When he finds out,” Luna said, “he may not forgive you.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She said it with such certainty. Not if. When._ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Then it will be my cross to bear.” she murmured, rubbing her middle.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
Caelum Granger was born at 7 lbs. and 2oz. _ _

______He had a wisp of curled blonde hair atop his head and silvery blue eyes that spoke of his father’s family line._ _ _ _ _ _

______He was beautiful._ _ _ _ _ _

______He was such a peaceful baby, quite a feat considering his parents. Even as he grew from infant to toddler to an energetic and curious boy of 5 and temper tantrums flared, he always seemed to come around._ _ _ _ _ _

______Eventually, Luna began to come and go, often heading back to Britain and traveling back to see them. She eventually tracked down her mother. As she predicted, the elder Granger has assimilated rather well after her initial hesitation at re-accepting Hermione once the obliviate had been lifted. And so, Monica Wilkins had become Helen Granger once more._ _ _ _ _ _

______Caelum had helped in that regard._ _ _ _ _ _

______His grandmother hadn’t been able to resist._ _ _ _ _ _

______She’d picked her life up the best she could. Without the pressures of being a war hero, she’d been free to decide what she wanted to do._ _ _ _ _ _

______She’d become a Pediatrician, specializing in development and learning. On the days she wasn’t in clinic, she would be researching or volunteering with the local shelters._ _ _ _ _ _

______It was a rather nice little life, but then Caelum would smile just so or throw her a look that so clearly spoke of Draco. During those moments, she felt that her very chest might cave in._ _ _ _ _ _

______She loved the home she’d built. She loved her son._ _ _ _ _ _

______Unfortunately, she couldn’t stop loving his father._ _ _ _ _ _

______And no matter how many times, her mother or Luna attempted to broach the subject, she never changed her mind, hoping against all odds that at least he was happy._ _ _ _ _ _


	3. Part III

When he had been young, he had expected to have the world. It had been ingrained in him. 

How special.  
How pure.  
How powerful. 

In some ways those principles had held true. In others...it had been nothing like what he’d expected. 

The war had come and gone, rocking the foundations of his life and ravaging anything pure and lovely he'd ever had. 

Six years since then. 

Six years and he continued to look for her in every place he went. 

He still went to bed most nights, haunted by that final goodbye. He'd known then…suspected that she would do the noble thing. 

That she would sacrifice herself for his sake, as was her nature.

But he hoped she wouldn't.

When he’d finally accepted that she was not coming back, he couldn’t help the resentment that seemed to settle in the hollow of his bones. She had meant well in her own way, but it was a selfish kind of sacrifice. The kind that comes from saving yourself from a burning building; saving your life and anything you can manage to take with you. 

_He supposed he could relate to that._

Then one dreary afternoon when he'd deigned to visit the Manor in the midst of it's extensive renovations, his mother had pulled him into an old room near the library. 

Silently, she had held her hand out, gesturing to two new lines sewn into the long tapestry.

He had hated her then. Or rather, he had _wanted _to hate her.__

__His despair hadn't abated, but six years later, he had resigned himself to a dull painful acceptance._ _

__She would not be found unless she wanted too._ _

__And yet, he couldn’t escape her._ _

__His dreams would run away with him, and he’d wake up not a few hours after having attempted to go to bed with aches in his soul he could only ignore when the sun was overhead._ _

__It wasn’t fair, but then he’d never expected his life to be fair.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__He stepped out of the floo in the Ministry atrium, and felt a hundred pairs of eyes settle on him._ _

__Six years and they couldn’t find anything else more interesting to stare at._ _

__He kept his eyes pointed forward, but despite that he couldn’t completely ignore them._ _

__Their thoughts were so loud._ _

___Wonder what he’s here for. Surprised he’s stayed employed for so long._ _ _

__He managed to make it to the lifts and as it creaked upward. Blissfully alone, he sagged against the wall and ran a hand through his hair.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________ _

___‘Is it constant? Or do you have to focus to hear them?’_ _ _

___‘Sometimes it’s just stray thoughts. Anything else, you have to go looking. ’_ _ _

___‘And my thoughts?’_ _ _

___‘You’re a loud thinker.’_  
______________________________________________________________________________________  
He shook his head as the lift’s bell rang, and he exited. _ _

__When he’d left his carefully selected ministry approved (i.e. demanded) job, he hadn’t expected to continuously be asked to come back._ _

__He’d been summoned to the third board room across from the Minister’s office. Entering that room now, he was greeted with Minister Shaklebolt, who stood as he entered. The man looked weary, no doubt thinking the end of his last term in office couldn’t come soon enough. To his left was Potter._ _

__Across the table was the Unspeakable’s representative, and for the life of him he couldn’t remember his name._ _

___Cochrane. Cook?_ _ _

__“Lord Malfoy, thank you for joining us today.” Shaklebolt said._ _

___Formal greeting. Must really want something._ _ _

__And so it began._ _

__It had been perhaps a year ago that the Auror office had come across a series of kidnappings where the victims were in various stages of magical shock; their cores burnt to the barest sparks of power._ _

__The publications had followed. Papers on the genetic inheritance of magic and possible combined gene and magical therapy to unlock a squib’s connection to their dormant magical core._ _

__Fascinating from an academic standpoint. Hopeful from an epidemiologic one. It was no secret the magical population had been on the decline. The slight uptick in births that had followed after the end of the war had largely flattened. It was now a grim reality that the numbers were downward trending._ _

__One particularly uncomfortable Wizengamot session had led to the idea of parenthood incentives and the set up of a bank of ‘donated means of conception, not limited to sperm and fertile eggs’._ _

__So the idea that magical potential could be restored to squib children, perhaps even some adolescents, was attractive as it was dangerous._ _

__The lead researcher on the publications had gone missing some months ago. His collaborators found dead weeks later._ _

__The Minister ended on the note that they had reason to believe the researcher had resurfaced in Germany, and he understood why he had been called to this meeting._ _

__“I’m a bit indisposed at the moment. A trip to Germany is hardly in the cards for me.” he ground out._ _

__Which led to pleas, flattery, and frank blackmail until he stood and without a word left the room to the sound of protesting and threats as he went.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
“Draco wait!” _ _

__He let out a breath, closing his eyes all the while wondering what had possessed him to stay in England after his parole had ended. Potter came to a stop in front of him, an apology clearly written on his face._ _

__“There’s no one else.”_ _

__Draco snorted._ _

__“Every cursebreaker on the rotation is either too far away or in the middle of an assignment. I can’t pull anyone else.” Potter shook his head, pulling his glasses off and rubbing tiredly at his eyes._ _

__“I don’t want to pull anyone else.”_ _

__He raised a brow in question._ _

__“You're the best, and you know it.” Potter began with a wryly smile, “And given your other expertise and the state of some of the victims…”_ _

__“There have been survivors?”_ _

__“Some.” Potter grimaced, “You’d be helpful in stabilizing them on scene at least.”_ _

__Draco sighed._ _

__“I need some time to get everything in order.”_ _

__Harry nodded. “Take the whole week if you need it.”  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__Draco had been in Germany less than 3 days before he realized the situation was far more tense than Potter had made it out to be._ _

__The German Ministry and British operatives had narrowed in on possible locations where they believed the researcher was being held._ _

__A few more bodies. A few more victims. 8 year olds suddenly plagued with unstable magic and 14 year olds who were struggling against accidental outbursts._ _

__It was horrifying how little care had been taken in these ‘scientific experiments’._ _

__He’d hoped he wouldn’t have to see such terrible tragedies again. It was war all over again._ _

__The survivors represented very conflicting thoughts._ _

__That the science was there and that it was likely possible to go both ways. To give and to take away._ _

__But then, he’d always known that anything could be weaponized._ _

__Two weeks pass by, and he’d been sent to a small town in the German countryside._ _

__They were close now, having caught a big break by apprehending two operatives in a raid, along with scattered papers that he was still trying to decipher._ _

__He was glad though. It meant he was that much closer to going home._ _

__He’d needed a break, taking a walk through the small town hoping to lose himself in the bustle when a flash of brown riotous curls caught his eye._ _

__It would be just his luck to have found her when he’d stopped looking._ _

__He rushed to catch up with her, dodging other pedestrians as his heart hammered away._ _

__“Hermione.” he breathed out having finally, finally, caught up with the woman._ _

__She stiffened, turning slowly._ _

__He swallowed roughly as her face came into view. Her eyes had widened, mouth parted into an ‘o’, as she unconsciously took a step toward him.  
It was her. _ _

__“Draco.” she whispered before her eyes drifted to the small figure at her side, clutching her hand and regarding him with clear curiosity._ _

__“Mum.” he tugged on her arm._ _

__Draco felt his shoulders drop._ _

___He’d known. But knowing and seeing…_ _ _

__He crouched down, a small smile on his lips, as he extended his hand._ _

__“My name is Draco Malfoy.”_ _

__The small boy dropped his mother’s hand, stepping forward cautiously before reaching out and grasping Draco’s fingers._ _

___Brave. Like his mother._ _ _

__“I’m Caelum.” he said._ _

__And Draco’s heart twisted painfully.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__She never thought she would see him again. Yet here he was introducing himself to her son._ _

___Their son._ _ _

__He wasn’t shocked. He wasn’t angry._ _

__In every version of this situation she’d ever accounted for, not one had included the possibility that he would be accepting._ _

__“Can we meet up later?”_ _

__She’d agreed. She had to agree. For her morbid curiosity and for Draco. If it had been her, with her child taken from her, she would have done more than just asked for an opportunity to talk._ _

__She would have taken someone to court._ _

__Instead, he was coming to her little cottage._ _

__Her mum had given her an infuriatingly knowing look before she’d agreed to take Caelum to his favorite park for an hour. So she’d been reduced to pacing._ _

__It’s entirely too long before a single knock sounds against her sturdy wooden door, and she undoes the wards to let him in.  
He lingered in her small foyer, his eyes trailing the walls full of pictures and various pieces of artwork that Caelum had made her. _ _

__She takes the opportunity to study him._ _

__There was a warmer flush to his skin now, a nice contrast to his hair that still fell longer in the front and cut shorter at the neck._ _

__His shoulders were broader, but he was still thin. Not as painfully so like he had been but still. The tension in his spine and set of his jaw were familiar signs of tension._ _

___He was still weary._ _ _

__“What’s his birthday?”_ _

__She blinked, refocusing on him. “December 10th.”_ _

__“About six?”_ _

__“Almost yeah.”_ _

__He shook his head in disbelief, both hands running through his hair and coming to rest at the base of his neck. “Fuck Hermione.” He said quietly._ _

__She shuddered, her eyes fluttering closed._ _

__“Do you hate me?”_ _

__She hears his breath catch, and for a moment neither of them say anything._ _

__“I thought I would. At times, I even wished I did. When I saw the tapestry-”_ _

__She opened her eyes. “You knew.” her hand comes to cover her mouth in horror, “You’ve known all this time.”_ _

__He hesitated a moment, his eyes shuddering as his occlumency walls came in place. He nodded stiffly. “I did. Only that he existed. Your wards shielded the name though.”_ _

__She crossed the room, stopping once she stood in front of him. Cautiously, she reached out and cupped his jaw. Her thumb traced his cheekbones. “You knew and still didn’t hate me.”_ _

__He closed his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. “If our positions were switched,” he leaned into her touch, “I’d have done worse.”  
____________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__She doesn’t know how they manage to cover six years in 60 minutes._ _

__Somehow they do._ _

__Draco is relentless in his questions._ _

__About Caelum._ _

__About her._ _

__She tells him about their son with his baby book opened in her lap then her work and her mother._ _

__Eventually she’s able to ask her own questions._ _

__Her disappearance had caused a stir, and Draco had capitalized by threatening to pin it all on Greengrass. They broke the contract within a week._ _

__And he’d searched for her. Joining a professional quidditch team to bend the rules of his parole so he could travel._ _

__“Parts of it were nice.” he said, “I could just fly and not think for a few hours. Felt like I was free.”_ _

__After three seasons, he’d retired._ _

__‘And since then?’ she’d asked._ _

__“I’m a medical cursebreaker. The ministry sponsored my education, I doubt I would have gotten anywhere if I’d tried to on my own. They pushed through my curriculum and threw me in Auror training to complete the deal.” he frowned._ _

__“But you wanted-”_ _

__“It didn’t matter.” he interrupted, “No one would apprentice me or allow me into a program. No matter my marks. I was a former death eater even if I did have a shiny Order of Merlin medal. It was too hard trying and coming up with nothing. I got tired of having to defend my own name, so I let the Ministry do it.”_ _

__“How does it work exactly?”_ _

__“In the beginning, I’d be put on assignments. Over the last year, I’ve transitioned to more of a hybrid position between the Ministry and Mungo’s.”_ _

__She ran her fingers through his hair before dropping her hand to his forearm._ _

__“I’m sorry.”_ _

__He shook his head letting out a heavy sigh._ _

__“I think we both have reason to be.”  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__They finally circle back to how he came to be in Germany to begin with._ _

__He tells her what he can, and what he does equally sickens and fascinates her._ _

__Too soon the hour comes to an end._ _

__He greets her mother politely, and Caelum waves at him as he’s led by his grandmother toward his room. Draco’s eyes follow him the entire time, lingering down the short hallway that led to her son’s room._ _

__“I’d like to spend some time with him.”_ _

__Her insides twist._ _

__“Of course.” she murmured._ _

__His eyes swing back to her, dropping for a moment to the floor before he glances back up with a more determined yet careful look._ _

__“And you.” he says._ _

__The corner of her mouth twitches._ _

__“So would I.”_ _


	4. Part IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mention of loss of a child and loss of a spouse.

It didn’t take long for Hermione to realize just how committed Draco was to connecting with Caelum. In between working with the German Ministry, he’d come over and slowly Caelum warmed up to him. 

Stories about Quidditch and wizarding childhood stories she’d never heard of enchanted Caelum. Three visits was all it took for him to begin pestering her constantly for when ‘Mr. Draco’ was going to come next. 

He’d allowed her leeway to control the environments they met in and hadn’t pushed her to tell Caelum that ‘Mr. Draco’ was really his father. 

When he’d run into Luna while having dinner with them one night, he hadn’t even batted a lash. 

_‘I suspected she knew where you were.’ He’d said, ‘And I didn’t know if you’d found your mother or not. I wanted you to have someone. Not be alone.’_

And her heart continued to warm to him as her guard continued to drop while around him. Though, he was still more restrained. 

A week later and she wasn’t anywhere close to discovering just what that was. She only knew that it had hurt him deeply. 

The closest he’d come to mentioning it had been the weekend before. 

It had been a beautiful spring day, and Caelum had been dying to show Draco the park. 

He’d agreed and shown up half- drowsy on antihistamines on account of a rather terrible pollen allergy. He’d humored Caelum for about an hour and a half before he’d crashed on the grass near where she’d stretched out her picnic blanket. 

She’d stood silently and come to stand beside where he sat with his knees drawn up. Draco, had rested his head along her leg and hummed in appreciation when her fingers had come to comb through his hair. 

“Where does he get all that energy?” Draco had murmured, rubbing at his temple. 

“He can be a bit of a handful.” she’d smiled, “But thank you for going along with it. I really do appreciate it.” 

He’d tilted his head up, looking at her through his fringe. 

“It’s all so simple here. Truly. You gave him such a happy life.” He sniffed.

“Draco…” 

“It’s been so hard Granger.” he’d whispered, “So hard.” 

She’d taken pity on him, not wanting to take advantage of his drugged state. She’d planted a kiss to the top of his head, pointedly ignoring the way her cheeks had flushed before calling for Caelum. A promise of ice cream was all it took for him to abandon the swings and join them. 

She’d helped Draco off the ground, and their hands had remained entwined as she led them all toward the ice cream parlor across the street. 

All the while, her heart pounding, almost painfully, within her chest.   
___________________________________________________________________________________________

“Mum.” 

“Hmm.” She murmured as she tucked the covers around Caelum. 

“Is Mr. Draco my dad?”

She paused, sitting on the side of the mattress. Caelum had propped himself up on his pillow, worrying his bottom lip as he looked up at her. 

“Why do you think that?” She finally asked. 

“I look like him.” Here Caelum pointed at his hair. “Our eyes are the same color.”

She bit the inside of her cheek. She’d truly been foolish in thinking Caelum wound’t pick up on such similarities. He was her son after all. 

“Would you like him to be your dad?”

His eyes widened, and his hands came to twist and fiddle with his comforter. 

“He’s fun and nice. He listens to all my stories.” Caelum began, “And he makes you smile Mum.” 

Her eyes stung as she cleared her throat. “He does, doesn’t he?”

Caelum nodded, a wide grin on his face. 

She let out a breath, combing her hand through the waves of his blond hair. 

“Do you think he’d mind if I called him dad?” 

“I think he would like that very much.” 

When Caelum had finally drifted off to sleep, she’d quietly exited. She leant, with her back pressed against the wall. 

_He makes you smile._

Dear Merlin. He was right. Her lovely five year old son was right.   
S  
he shook her head, noticing the light on in the kitchen. 

Her mother and Luna were at the table with a kettle and mugs in hand. Without a word, she joined them. Her mother handed her a mug that she accepted gratefully, letting her fingers curl around the ceramic. The warmth seemingly grounding her as she took a sip. 

“He’s asleep.” Hermione finally said, taking another sip of tea. 

Her mother nodded. “You told him about Draco.” 

She rubbed her temples and wearily muttered, “He’s much too observant for his own good.” 

“That’s not exactly a surprise.” her mother returned with a fond smile on her face. 

“I don’t know what to do.” She admitted.

“You should tell Draco.” Luna finally said, putting her mug down, “You should tell Draco that you still love him.” 

“Luna!” she hissed, leaning across the table. 

Luna flashed her a teasing smile in reply, “You should.” 

Hermione’s eyes dropped to the table, a finger idly coming to draw patterns on the wooden top. 

“You should tell him,” Luna continued, the smile dropping from her face as she grew solemn, “because my cousin is still convinced that he will wake up one day and you’ve disappeared with Caelum again.” 

“That’s not fair.”

“But is it wrong for him to think that?” Luna pressed. 

“It’s not like he tells me everything either.” she protested, folding her arms and ignoring the pointed stare her mother had thrown at her. 

Luna shook her head, “You’re only fostering Bratter bats between you both if you say nothing.” 

_‘Bratter bats’_ Hermione mouthed before dissolving into soft laughter, struggling to keep her voice down and not wake her slumbering son. 

She wiped at the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes. She let out a trembling breath. “Maybe you have a point Luna.”   
_________________________________________________________________________________________

She wasn’t set to see Draco for two days. There was some raid going on that he needed to be present for. 

So, it had to be the day after. 

She had been on edge while waiting. She’d been anxious with patients, and had counted the minutes until she was able to go home that night. 

She hadn’t been able to sleep either. Her eyes watching the clock chime as the hours ticked by. 

_They’d have gone to the house now. Hopefully taken some of them into custody without any problems._

Her mother had sat with her for some time, holding her closer and eventually having her stretch across the couch with her head resting in her lap. 

“It’ll be alright darling.” her mother had said before Hermione slipped slowly into sleep.   
__________________________________________________________________________________________

She woke the next morning to the sound of an inpatient owl pecking at her window. 

The irritable beast had then dropped the letter into her outstretched hand before scurrying away. She yawned, rubbing away the sleep from her eyes before breaking the seal of the letter. 

Her eyes widened. 

_He wanted to reschedule for the afternoon.  
A little more than we expected.   
Would it be alright if they came instead…_

She dropped the letter and in a whirlwind she’d dressed Caelum, offered a rushed explanation to her mother, and grabbed her wand as she walked toward her fireplace with Caelum clutching her hand tight. 

Wordlessly, she flicked her wand to activate the floo. She pulled a pouch from her beaded bag. She suppressed the shiver that ran down her spine as the soft floo powder brushed against her fingers. 

_It had been so long._

She called out for Draco’s home before disappearing into the green smoke.   
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“That was so cool Mum.” Caelum said when they stepped out into a rather spacious flat. 

She hummed in agreement, her eyes scanning the room. 

She didn’t have to look for long. 

Draco was hunched over, dozing in a recliner with a few new scratches and a small bandage along the bridge of his nose. Her eyes dropped to the coffee table beside him, her pulse quickening at the sight of scissors and gauze. 

She led Caelum through the flat and thanked the gods when she found a room with a television. 

“Let’s let daddy sleep a little longer.” she’d said, putting on a child program on the telly before coming back to Draco.

“Draco, love?” she murmured, shaking his shoulder slightly. 

He stirred under her touch, his eyes blinking up at her. 

“‘Mione?” he cleared his throat, “What are you...How did you get in here?”

“Floo.” she said with a wryly grin on her face, “I guess you kept it open for us.” 

At the ‘us’, he straightened, letting out a quiet groan as he did. 

“Caelum?” 

“I left him watching a program on the telly.” 

His shoulder sagged in relief. He moved to stand, swaying slightly. 

“Hey.” she quickly tucked one of his arms over her shoulders, forcing him to lean against her. She frowned when her eyes trailed his shirt, noting a few bright spots of crimson seeping through the seams. 

“Love,” she whispered, “You’re bleeding.” 

He grunted in response, not protesting when she led him into the loo she’d noticed while finding the telly room for Caelum. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. 

_As though no time had passed at all._

“What happened?” she asked, pulling his shirt over his head and inspecting the bandages already wrapped around him. 

_She’d have to undo them. ___

__He hissed at the movement, but otherwise kept silent._ _

__She was halfway through unraveling the bandage around his torso when he finally spoke._ _

__“We got one, he’s getting interrogated today. We managed to snag some research journals too.” he wet his lips before gesturing for her to grab a potion from the overhead cabinet._ _

__“Two kids, maybe 15. They were considerably better off than the others but-” Draco trailed off._ _

__She shuddered, biting her lip hard as she continued dabbing various disinfectants and redressing the wounds._ _

__“We caught them off guard, and it was still a struggle.”_ _

__She finished fastening the last bandage, turning back to the cabinet and finding a vial of blood replenishing._ _

__“I’m just glad you’re safe.” she whispered._ _

__He reached out and took her hands in his, his thumbs trailing across her knuckles._ _

__She didn’t know who closed the distance first, only that her mouth still remembered the curves of his mouth, and he still kissed like he was learning to breathe. His magic sparked at his skin, reaching for her own, leaving the hairs on her arm up and a pleasant sort of hum tickling her skin._ _

__He peppered her jaw with kisses before returning to her mouth._ _

__A moan escaped her, and she swore the breath he let out at the sound was a laugh as he continued._ _

__She broke away at some point, her forehead leaning against his._ _

__“I’ve missed you.” Draco whispered._ _

__She allowed herself a small smile at his admission. With Draco, something like that was to be cherished._ _

__He shivered against her._ _

__“You’re cold.” she said, her brows furrowed._ _

__He shot her a sheepish smile as she transfigured a jumper for him and promptly fed him the blood replenishing potion in her hand._ _

__“Thanks.” he murmured.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ _

__She helped him toward the telly room and Caelum promptly stood and wrapped his arms around Draco’s legs._ _

__‘You ok dad?”_ _

__Draco stiffened in her hold before brushing her arms away and lifting Caelum into his arms as he sat on the sofa with him on his knee._ _

__He glanced at her, his eyes communicating his silent thanks before he turned and reassured Caelum that everything was perfect._ _

__At some point, they all had drifted asleep to some movie or another._ _

__She felt Draco stirr beside her before she heard the chime of the floo._ _

__She wanted to tell him to ignore it, when the person’s voice called out._ _

___Narcissa. ____ _

____“Draco dear, I know you said- but dear there’s a situation, and-”_ _ _ _

____She blinked as Draco tore himself out of her grasp and ran toward his floo. She transfigured the couch into a small cot, righting Caelum before making her own way to the floo room._ _ _ _

____“Darling, he just had an incident with Teddy this afternoon, and he’s been off all day, truth be told. Severus and I have tried anything, but he’s been inconsolable asking for you.”_ _ _ _

____Hermione paused in the hallway, catching a glimpse of Narcissa who was holding a small figure to her hip._ _ _ _

____Draco murmured something she couldn’t make out before the bundle in Narcissa’s arms immediately tried to break free from her grasp, reaching his arms out for Draco._ _ _ _

____“Come on Ray.” Draco said, taking the toddler into his arms. His balance was off, and Hermione, without thinking, quickly joined them and helped him to the recliner she’d first found him in._ _ _ _

____Having seen to Draco , she turned back to Narcissa, unable to help the way her cheeks stained red under the woman’s scrutiny._ _ _ _

____“Mrs. Malfoy.” she greeted politely._ _ _ _

____After a moment, Narcissa inclined her head. “Miss Granger.” She then turned her attention to her son, her hand cupping his jaw and tracing the bruises beneath his eyes and the healing cut at his cheek._ _ _ _

____“Oh mon dragon.” Narcissa murmured, pressing a kiss to his brow._ _ _ _

____Draco offered her a weak smile as he continued to rub circles into the small child’s back._ _ _ _

____“Draco?” Narcissa asked._ _ _ _

____“It’s alright Mother. I’ll keep him tonight.”_ _ _ _

____A small smile pulled at her mouth as she nodded in acceptance before offering Hermione a short goodbye. When Narcissa had disappeared through the floo, her shoulders sagged._ _ _ _

____She sat on the arm of the recliner, watching as Draco continued to comfort the little tyke in his arms._ _ _ _

____“Alright Ray?” He said, adjusting his hold on the boy and allowing her a glimpse of his face._ _ _ _

____Ray scrunched his face as he opened his eyes slowly and she caught sight of startling blue eyes eerily similar to Narcissa’s._ _ _ _

____“Orion.” Draco murmured, as Ray lay his head against Draco’s chest, “This is Hermione.”_ _ _ _

____At Draco’s nudge, the boy offered her a soft ‘hullo._ _ _ _

____She smiled. “Pleased to meet you Ray.” Her eyes found Draco’s._ _ _ _

____‘Later’ he mouthed as he continued to rock Ray until he fell asleep. Draco pulled his wand and transfigured a stray pillow into a small bed at his side, laying Ray carefully on it._ _ _ _

____“You have a son.”_ _ _ _

____Draco let out a sigh. “Technically, I have two.”_ _ _ _

____Her brow rose._ _ _ _

____Draco dropped his head into his hand as he leaned his elbow on the free arm of the recliner._ _ _ _

____“Astoria and I never got married.” he began, “But we grew...closer. At times, she was my only trustworthy friend. I... I gave up hope that I would ever find you around the time I started at the Ministry. We reconnected. She…” Draco’s voice broke, “She was dying.”_ _ _ _

____Hermione froze, not daring to speak as Draco shut his eyes tight before letting out a shaky breath._ _ _ _

____“A blood curse carried in her family was killing her. We… We worked nearly a year tracking down it’s origins before I eventually cracked it. We celebrated the next night, and one drink turned into ten drinks. I barely even remember it.” His eyes opened, a few stray tears gathering at the corners of his eyes._ _ _ _

____“She found out she was pregnant, but her body was...it was so weak from the curse and us breaking it...and then we found out it was twins.”_ _ _ _

____She reached her hand out and took Draco’s firmly into her own, offering him a reassuring squeeze._ _ _ _

____“We’d been living in Wales after she discovered she was pregnant in an effort to stay out of the public eye. It was going along fine until the middle of her second trimester. She just- she started bleeding. We got to the hospital and they...they didn’t like the fetal heart rates they were seeing. They decided it would be better to deliver and…” Tears dripped down Draco’s cheeks. He rubbed furiously at his face._ _ _ _

____“Scorpius came out with his cord wrapped too tight around his neck.”_ _ _ _

____She shuddered, stifling a sob against her hand as Draco continued._ _ _ _

____“Then Ray was delivered and rushed to the NICU. Astoria… she’d lost so much blood, and they tried everything.” Draco’s voice shook as he wiped a few more tears away, “She died while they were trying to resuscitate.”_ _ _ _

____“Oh Draco.”_ _ _ _

____He shook his head, his grip tightening around her hand._ _ _ _

____“I just shut down. I couldn’t think. I didn’t eat. I didn’t sleep. I… I couldn’t even bring myself to look at Ray for two weeks. Two weeks, I couldn’t even bear the sight of my son.”_ _ _ _

____She dropped his hand, cradling his head to her breast as he shook in her arms._ _ _ _

____“My son, and I couldn’t...Gods Hermione.”_ _ _ _

____“Shh.” she murmured as he sobbed against her shirt._ _ _ _

____At some point the tears stopped, and she’d gone to soothingly brushing her fingers through Draco’s hair and watching Ray’s chest rise and fall steadily as he slept._ _ _ _

____“There’s been so much suffering.” she whispered, “I’m ready for that to stop now.”_ _ _ _

____“I love you.” Draco choked out, inclining his head to level his gaze with hers’._ _ _ _

____She blinked as two tears dripped down her chin._ _ _ _

____“I love you too.”  
________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _

____Orion Malfoy was one of the sweetest toddlers she’d ever met._ _ _ _

____He awoke from his much needed nap in much better spirits. Shy, but quick to offer her an easy smile after she’d promised him a snack and a few toys to play with._ _ _ _

____Though, the presence of his father may have also significantly improved his mood. Given how long Draco had been away from home, she certainly didn’t blame him for that._ _ _ _

____Caelum had taken an immediate liking to him and had become even more excited when he’d discovered they were siblings._ _ _ _

____They were now playing with several transfigured toys at their feet as she flipped through the journals Draco had been studying._ _ _ _

____She set it in her lap, watching with a fond smile as the two boy’s heads came together as Caelum began explaining something to Ray, who was simply watching in fascination at the older boy’s gestures._ _ _ _

____“Are you upset that I didn’t tell you about Ray?”_ _ _ _

____She let out a breath, tilting her head to meet Draco’s eyes. His hands were clasped together, his knuckles white, his leg anxiously shaking, and she couldn’t help but feel like she’d fallen through time once more this afternoon._ _ _ _

____“You didn’t know how this,” She gestured between them, “was going to go. I understand not wanting to bring in another child into the mix without figuring that out first.”_ _ _ _

____He nodded slowly, his eyes darting to his clasped hands. “It was part of it.” he admitted, “But another part of me wanted to make you feel.” He let out a breath. “Make you feel like I did when I discovered Caelum existed.”_ _ _ _

____She let out a breath, wincing at his words. She could understand that sentiment. She hardly had the moral high ground in such matters._ _ _ _

____“It was immature and spiteful, but-”_ _ _ _

____“You aren’t perfect Draco. No one is, especially not when they’re hurt.”_ _ _ _

____“It’s not an excuse.”_ _ _ _

____“No.” she agreed, “But we’ve forgiven each other for that.”_ _ _ _

____He nodded solemnly, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. She smiled, using her free hand to squeeze his knee in reassurance._ _ _ _

____“Now about this passage here....”  
___________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _

____Stephen Caldwell was a remarkable man of science._ _ _ _

____He’d been an Unspeakable with the British Ministry for years before escaping on the early days of the second war. He’d been hoping around the continent for a few years before he’d disappeared abruptly, leaving many to suspect foul play had been involved._ _ _ _

____A rather obvious conclusion._ _ _ _

____“It sounds like whoever these people are, they haven’t read through all his work.” She murmured, holding out a bookmarked page to Draco, “They’re likely only using the spells he’s described when he mentions earlier that a combination between a spell and a potion would be needed.”_ _ _ _

____He slipped his reading glasses on and his brows furrowed as he quickly skimmed the pages she was talking about._ _ _ _

____“Hmm, they’re binding the spell to family magic and the potion would combine essence and a mix of gene therapy enzymes, but then-” he frowned as he seemed to be putting together ideas and reworking ingredients._ _ _ _

____A small smile pulled at her mouth as she watched him. His eyes drifted to her face, and he pulled his glasses off._ _ _ _

____“Why Granger, are you laughing at me.” he murmured, his gaze heavy. She shifted in her seat, her cheeks flushing as she lifted her chin._ _ _ _

____“I’d just forgotten what it was like to work with you.”_ _ _ _

____His expression softened, but the look of pure hunger in his eyes remained._ _ _ _

____“Yeah.” his eyes drifting to her mouth, “Me too.”  
_________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _

____They spent the night at Draco’s._ _ _ _

____She had caved under three sets of puppy eyes. Though, if she were honest, she had been planning on offering to stay. Draco was still weak and recovering, adding in a young child hardly created a setting for rest._ _ _ _

____And the boys really had hit it off._ _ _ _

____She’d transfigured two beds for them and when it came time to do the same for herself, Draco had snatched her wand and pulled her toward his room._ _ _ _

____“Nothing has to happen tonight.” he’d said._ _ _ _

____So, she’d fallen asleep after quite some time spent snogging one another, content to simply lie cocooned in Draco’s embrace._ _ _ _

____The next morning, she woke up to his side empty though warm._ _ _ _

_____He’s only just gotten up. ____ _ _ _

______She pulled herself out and up from underneath the covers and found Draco with a letter before him and a cup of tea._ _ _ _ _ _

______He looked up as she entered, his expression carefully blank._ _ _ _ _ _

______“They think we’ve found him.”  
____________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _

______The rescue plan is set for Friday. The Aurors want to map the warehouse they believe has served as Caldwell’s personal cell for the past few months and call in reinforcements._ _ _ _ _ _

______The whole affair has her on edge._ _ _ _ _ _

______The days leading up to Friday pass by in a blur. She arranges to have all of Friday off, taking a personal day for the first time since she’d opened her practice, and agrees to keep Ray for Draco._ _ _ _ _ _

______Her mother is delighted at another child to dote on, marveling at how similar the two boys are. She’s grateful for the attempts at distraction. Truly. Though, it only does so much to settle the way her gut is somersaulting with each worried conjecture that her imaginative mind is offering._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Gods above, please let him be safe._ _ _ _ _ _ _

______At some point, her mother turns on the telly and the evening news starts to play._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Fires reported. Three roads were blocked. Two buildings burned to the ground. ____ _ _ _ _ _

________“Mum.” she stood, unable to keep the worry out of her tone. “I need to go.”  
_________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The whole scene is a disaster._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The German Aurors are attempting to divert the Muggle police and fire department and the British Aurors are busy trying to squash the fires while saving the surrounding buildings from complete ruin._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Dear Merlin.” she murmured as she managed to sneak through the crowd all the while her eyes darted rapidly through the crowd._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________One blond head. Platinum blond. It shouldn’t be too hard to spot._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Draco.” She called out, “Draco Malfoy.” She stopped a nearby officer, his uniform identifying him as a member of the British force._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Please.” She begins, ignoring the way the bloke’s eyes widen in recognition, “Draco Malfoy. Have you seen him?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She can tell, even before he opened his mouth to reply that he hasn’t. She can feel her pulse hammering away in her veins. She has to find him. She’d only just gotten him back. She would not lose him like this._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Is there anyone else.” her voice wavering, “Anyone else I can-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Hermione?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She spun around and the bright green eyes of her friend met her own._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Harry.” She ran to him, letting him draw him tight into his arms. “Dear gods Hermione, where did you come from?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Harry.” she interrupted him, “Where’s Draco?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Understanding flashed in his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Follow me.”  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She made out his hair before she saw the rest of him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He was perched on some sort of stretcher. There were burns along his arms, one on the left side of his chest that another Healer is in the process of healing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He tilted his chin up, his eyes darting in her general direction._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Like he could sense her. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She sprinted the rest of the way, hesitating to throw her arms around him for fear of aggravating any injuries she couldn’t see._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________For all her caution, he doesn’t seem to have any qualms. He pulled his flush against him, one hand at the back of her neck, fingers tugging at the small hairs at the back of her neck, and his lips were on hers in minutes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Alive. Thank the gods. Alive._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Harry cleared his throat from behind them, and she pulled away abruptly. Draco has the gall to look extremely pleased with himself. With a smirk firmly on his face, he tilted his head to look at Harry._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You lot owe me for this.” he said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Harry grinned. “Believe me, I’ll be singing your praises.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Draco snorted in reply._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The whole exchange had Hermione wondering just what all had she missed while being away for so long._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Well I leave you two to it.” Harry said, drawing her up into another hug, “And Draco, don’t forget to write your report at some point.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Draco cracked a smile at that. “Don’t expect it any time soon.” His eyes drift up to study her face with his eyes alight in mischief. “We’ve got plans.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Harry broke out in laughter at that, waving them both a goodbye as he disappeared to locate the lead German Auror._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________At Harry’s departure, Draco pulled himself to his feet. “Well Granger.” he drew her closer, his arm coming to rest across her shoulders, “Let’s go home.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	5. Part V

Caldwell was taken into custody for his protection and to prepare for his trial before the ethics committee in the Department of Magical Research and Development. 

Despite his teasing to Potter, Draco had submitted his report by Monday, eager to be done with the affair. Though he’d been told in no uncertain terms that he was likely going to be assigned to finalizing Caldwell’s research. 

_The wizarding world still needed a solution to their dwindling population. ___

__The weekend had been bliss. He’d spent Saturday ravishing his witch and spending time with his children. By Sunday though, they’d had to address the glaring elephant in the room._ _

___‘When are you going to leave?”_ _ _

__He’d dodged the question, because in truth he didn’t want to leave. Not without Hermione at least._ _

__So he plotted._ _

__He had an excellent cover._ _

__His mother had been all but begging to get the chance to meet her other grandchild, and Hermione, knowing it was the right thing to do, had agreed._ _

__He hadn’t told her where they were going, only that his mother had wanted to host them._ _

__So, they’d gone through the floo, and her eyes had wandered appreciatively at the high ceilings and airy feel of the house. Narcissa had been waiting for them, greeting them and quickly taking her grandchildren by the hand and leading to the gardens._ _

__Hermione had gasped in appreciation at the sprawling estates complete with a lake and two guesthouses._ _

___‘Draco where....'_ _ _

___‘This is the Manor Hermione. The new Malfoy Manor.’ ____ _

____His declaration had prompted a full tour of the re-done east and west wing, library, dining, and kitchen. He’d saved the potions lab for last_ _ _ _

____She’d hummed in appreciation at the work benches and stacked cauldrons._ _ _ _

____He had been about to suggest the Greenhouse as their next destination when his godfather had entered, giving Hermione quite the fright._ _ _ _

_____‘Narcissa’s ready to serve lunch, if you are done showing Miss Granger the house.’ Snape had drawled, nodding at Hermione in greeting._ _ _ _ _

_____When Severus had turned and left the room, she’d turned to him._ _ _ _ _

_____‘Are Snape and your mother…”_ _ _ _ _

_____‘Yeah.’ he grimaced, ‘It was the most bloody awkward courtship I’d ever witnessed.’_ _ _ _ _

_____It had only taken some gentle prodding after the visit to convince her to move back to England with him._ _ _ _ _

_____This would be her last day in Germany. She’d already closed her practice the week before, helping her patients settle with new physicians. Most of the moving had been done already, and the boys had gone ahead with both their mothers that morning._ _ _ _ _

_____He’d convinced her to keep the cottage. To not sell it._ _ _ _ _

______They may want to visit someday. ____ _ _ _ _

_______She’d been rather partial to the idea, if the kiss of appreciation that she’d given him had been any indication._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______He stood with his hands in his pockets, his pointer finger and thumb brushing the small velvet box in his right pocket._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______Hermione didn’t keep him waiting long. She’d slung her beaded bag with the last bit of her possessions over her shoulder, closing the door and walking towards him. She paused, turning her head and letting her eyes sweep fondly over the house._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“It was really a lovely place to live.” She murmured._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“It was the home you needed.” He agreed, twisting one of her curls and tucking it behind her ear. “And I’m grateful you’re coming with me to make a new home together.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______He held both her hands as he knelt down, and before he could even say a word, Hermione had tackled him to the ground._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______‘Yes. Yes. A thousand times.” She murmured in between peppering him with kisses._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“Let me.” Kis. “Get.” Kiss. “The ring.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______She laughed laying her head to rest against his chest as he managed to pull the box from his pocket. She smiled, her eyes bright, as he pulled the simple band out from the box and slid it onto her finger._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“I love you.” she whispered, staring at the glinting diamond with clear reverence._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“I love you.” he kissed her temple, stroking her hair._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______He wasn’t sure how long they lay there in silence, but it was long enough for his back to begin to cramp._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“I can’t believe you didn’t let me finish my speech.” he murmured as he sat up, keeping his hold on her firm._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______Hermione laughed, turning in his arms to face him.  
“I didn’t need it.” she murmured, cradling his face in her hands. _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I just need you. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________“I love you.” he murmured, before pulling them both to a stand. “We’d better get going. Who knows what those boys have convinced our mothers to let them do.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Hermione smiled, “I’m sure they’re behaving.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________He snorted, not entirely convinced._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________“Either way.” Hermione continued, “We’ve got news to share.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's a wrap. Not sure if I'll post an epilogue. Either way leave a review and let me know what you thought!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


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